


Sweet Dreams

by MayaThisIsMadness



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Universe, Fluff, Hallucinations, Happy Ending, Kinda Cracky, M/M, btw like everyone gets a pov at some point, dream - Freeform, klangst, this is basically a lot of fluff with some side angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2016-12-30
Packaged: 2018-09-13 10:44:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9120181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayaThisIsMadness/pseuds/MayaThisIsMadness
Summary: A mission goes a little wonky and Keith ends up... alien drugged?  He is stuck in a dream where he has everything he wants out of life, but how would the crew react if he chose not to wake up? How will Keith react to all of his space friends when he eventually does wake up?  Will we ever know?  Yes, actually, because SURPRISE! That's actually this fic's plot





	1. How this mess started and where they're at now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's beginning, let's fall down the rabbit hole together.

“Pidge? _Pidge?_ ” Keith whispered anxiously into the comm in his helmet.

No answer came.

“Shiro?”

Nothing.

He sighed and leaned over the pinkish-purplish rock he was crouching behind to see that he was still very much surrounded and still very much trapped.

This was supposed to be another mission like the Balmera. Get some crystal mineral magical stuff and get out. But, in hindsight, if they had learned anything from the Balmera mission, this screw up should not have been much of a surprise.

Shiro had sent him and Pidge down to collect the mineral/crystal thing. It was originally going to be Lance and Hunk but then the two had gotten into the kitchen. Let's just say they were definitely lucky Coran found them when he did. They tried to make some goo smoothies with one too many very expired Altean fruits.

So now here Keith was with a backpack full of this weirdly squishy crystal and no way of contacting anyone to tell them he was hopelessly, embarrassingly lost.

Pidge had been guiding him via his helmet comm but now that was dead apparently. Great, this was fine. He could find his way back. His lion was most likely right where he left it, some miles away in a neon-colored magic forest.

He looked around again at the cave he was now crouching in. It was sparkly and shining but weirdly sticky and smelled utterly intoxicating. He tried to remember which direction Pidge had lead him through, but his thoughts were clouded and his mind completely disoriented. He swayed on his feet, glancing back once more to try to assess his situation.

The people he had found here were nothing like humans or any of the other alien species they had encountered. They drifted like ghosts around the cave. Every once in awhile, one would touch the cave wall near Keith and just _seep_ into it. They just _melted into the wall_. Consequently, the wall dripped in this weird goo Keith was definitely calling ectoplasm.

He noticed one of the tunnels near him was faintly glowing blue. Something about it seemed familiar. He felt a tug in his stomach. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard a voice whispering "there" over and over again.

He shrugged. That tunnel was as good a guess as any. It was probably familiar because it was where he came from. Probably.

Keith rose to his feet, pausing a little as he swayed and tried to regain balance. Okay, he was more than a little disoriented. He slowly started stumbling toward the tunnel. He nearly forgot about the ghost creatures as he made his way there, but when he glanced around, none of them took much heed of him anyway. He kept walking, pausing outside the entrance.

“Pidge,” he said again, just in case, but no answer came, “Hope this is right.”

 

“What do you mean you _lost Keith,_ ” Allura threw up her arms in exasperation.

Pidge looked up guiltily and opened her mouth to answer but Shiro spoke for her, “Pidge was leading him through the tunnels so they could better keep track of the location when the signal cut out. The comm and GPS are both out.”

Allura was fuming and Shiro and Pidge both were avoiding eye contact at all costs.

Coran cut in before Allura could continue her disapproving rant, “Those tunnels are very dangerous. Many that have traveled alone are either lost for good or have pretty scrambled minds when found. If we don't get Keith back soon, it could be disastrous for Voltron.”

Pidge turned to him abruptly, “And we were going to send _Hunk and Lance_ in there?!”

Shiro turned to Allura, “What's done is done, we need to focus on how we get him out. You said we can't just go in there guns blazing?”

Allies nodded, “Yes. There are many species that dwell in those caves. The ecosystem is very fragile and minor disruptions could lead to detrimental imbalance.”

“So we need to form a plan and a team. Would it be too much to ask you or Coran to be on it? Since we can only assume the tunnels block signals from entering and exiting, we need someone who's knowledgeable about the area to be a guide.” 

“Of course. I have navigated the caves many times with my father and would be delighted to lead an expedition.”

“Can I come?” asked Pidge hopefully, “I may not have much to offer, but I did get Keith into this mess and I feel like I owe it to him to be on the team trying to get him out.”

Shiro smiled, “That would be great Pidge. Allura, do you think the two of you can handle this? Or should this be a big team job?”

“I think we should be enough. It's not that the tunnels are dangerous physically, per say. It's just that many of the chemicals from the biological life can be… intoxicating to certain people. Certain minds are more susceptible than others and I had been particularly immune as a child.”

“Great. Let's get going.”

 

Keith stumbled down what must have been the longest tunnel in existence. The walls oozed an iridescent blue goop that pooled beneath his feet and threatened to flood his boots. Dripping noises echoed constantly in the air around him. And the smell. It was nothing like Keith had ever experienced. It was so strong it clouded his vision, which didn't even make since.

He couldn't describe it either. It was so many different smells at once. On the one hand it was hot and intense, like sweat and humidity, but on the other, it was sickeningly sweet.

Keith moved as quickly as he could without tripping over his own feet until he had to slow down because his head was pounding and pulse thrumming and mind reeling. _What was going on?_

He heard a noise behind him like a strong wind and he was suddenly falling. The last thought he could consciously remember was _this ectoplasm better not stain my jacket_ and he was out.

“Keith.”

He moaned in reply. His eyes were closed and he was warm and cozy.

“Dude, class starts in like ten minutes and we have to get all the way across campus. At least pull on some pants and let's go.”

Keith’s mind was tripping into consciousness. _Class?_

“What?”

What was this? Class? He had been in a cave and the mushy crystals and that weird goo and he needed to get back to his lion and-

“Keith!” said Pidge’s suddenly shrill voice, “Get the fuck up. I'm not going to be late again because you don't want to get out of bed. Grab a comb and some clothes and let's go.”

Keith sat up abruptly. Confusion and panic battling for control over his emotions.

“Pidge? Where's- what's going on? Where's the ship? What's going on?”

Pidge looked at him mildly confused but mostly irritated.

“Ship? What the fuck are you talking about? Get up. I got your shit in my bag because I am fucking awesome now let's go.”

Keith stood up cautiously and looked around the room.

 _This is familiar_ , a soothing voice in the back of his mind said, _You've been waking up here for months. Pidge, your roommate, is telling you you're almost late for class. You need to get some pants on and go._

Keith's brow furrowed, _but that's not right what about Voltron and-_

An intense wave of dizziness and confusion shot through him and he swayed on his feet and nearly fell over.

“Woah, Keith? You alright there?”

“What? Yeah, uh, go wait out there and I'll, uh, get on some pants and we'll go.”

Pidge looked a little disconcerted but resolved it quickly and went to leave.

Keith nodded until she left the room. He looked around for pants and a shirt and grabbed a comb off his bedside. He saw a text book on his desk that read A Universe: Principles and Theories of Astrophysics. Beneath it were a few others about astronomy, engineering, and math.

Suddenly, flashes of memory sped through his mind. Him sitting in class. Him in middle school telling his teacher he was going to work at NASA. Him receiving his acceptance letter to study at one of the top schools in the country. Meeting Pidge sophomore year. Moving into their apartment. Setting up their gaming console. Small moments in between.

Fleetingly, he thought _this isn't real, you were in a cave and you pilot a flying lion_ , but suddenly all that was seeming much less likely than the life in front of him and then there was a bang on his door and Pidge’s frustrated voice telling him to hurry up. So he pulled up the pants he had stepped into and went out of his suddenly familiar room in his college apartment.

“Pidge, I had the weirdest dream.”

“Tell me on the way to class.”


	2. How Keith convinced himself to stay and other disasters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So eyyy, it's chapter two. I think the chapter title is a good enough summary. Hope you enjoy!

Allura and Pidge had landed by the red lion and were now making their way through the forest. They had not spoken much since they left the ship but Pidge had at least sixteen questions burning her mind.

She opened her mouth to ask one of them but Allura cut her off.

“We don't blame you Pidge, just so you know.”

Pidge immediately looked at the ground and nodded. That didn't mean she didn't blame herself.

They continued walking in silence as they made their way to the cave where she had lost Keith. It didn't take long for them to find the entrance, but even Allura was starting to look lost as they navigated through the twists and turns of the tunnel system. 

 

“Keith is _what now?_ ”

Lance and Hunk were sitting at the dining table sipping some tea Coran had brewed for their sickness and Shiro was filling them in.

“Don't worry, Lance,” Shiro said with a small smirk, “Allura and Pidge left about an hour ago and should be able to find him in no time.”

“I'm not worried!” Lance huffed, “And definitely not surprised. What have I told you about Keith? Walking disaster. Of course he got lost in a cave.”

Hunk rolled his eyes, “What did you say was so weird about these caves? Earlier you said people got lost in there all the time and sometimes lost their minds? What does that mean? How does it work? Is Keith going to go crazy?”

“Crazier,” Lance muttered.

Shiro shifted his weight, “Well, Coran knows more than I do but he said that there's some kind of chemical compound in the deposits of the cave that can induce a coma-like state that provides an extremely vivid dream that attempts to fulfill your desires and give contentment. Apparently, it is very important in the local culture. Allura said most of the locals give it commonly to patients on their deathbed to give them a pleasant departure, but some of the other species use it to keep hostages since people rarely wake up from the dream state. That way they can…”

“Can what?” Lance asked.

“Drain blood without resistance. They’re a parasitic species.”

“Oh dang,” Hunk said.

“They are few in numbers, according to Coran, so Keith most likely was not abducted, however it is a possibility.”

“Oh god, if Keith dies we won't have a pilot for the red Lion and we won't be able to form Voltron and save the universe and-”

“Okay, Hunk, nobody's dying. Keith is going to be fine. They said it would take a week to drain him using their methods and we're gonna find him in half that.”

Lance just nodded through the whole conversation, he uncharacteristically couldn't find any way to jokingly lighten the mood so he didn't say anything.

 

The lecture had lasted way too long for Keith's scattered mind. Pidge had his notebook and phone. He flipped through the pages filled with his handwriting. He scrolled through messages on his phone. The only contacts were Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, and Lance. Allura and Coran’s names weren't anywhere to be found but, at the discovery, another jolt of dizziness shot through him and he grasped his head. Suddenly, Coran’s name was no longer familiar and Allura was just the name of someone Shiro knew.

He set his phone down on the desk in front of him and clicked the pen Pidge had handed him nervously in his hand.

After what felt like hours, the lecture was over and Keith and Pidge were making their way out.

“Are you still up for Hunk and Lance coming over tonight? You seem a little out of it today.”

“Hmm?” Keith asked before a memory of the four planning a movie night flashed in his mind, “Oh no, I'm fine. How else will I ever be educated on the thrills of Star Trek?”

“Star Wars, Keith. Star Wars. Please. There is a difference.”

“Sure, okay,” he said as they walked back to their apartment in a much slower pace than they had left in.

“So,” Pidge turned to him and wiggled her brow, “You and Lance. How's that going?”

He choked on the nothing in his mouth and Keith's first thought was _shit, how does she know about that? Does everyone else know too?_ Oh fuck.

Then he remembered that he had told Pidge yesterday about a particularly suggestive strand of texts between him and Lance. Pidge had known about his feelings from the get go, why had Keith freaked out? She had helped him over analyze their conversation like high schoolers last night and that's why he had been so tired.

“I thought we both decided that those texts didn't mean half as much as I was saying they meant,” Keith said, “I'm just going to act like he didn't say anything and see what happens.”

Pidge snorted, “We both know that just means you're going to awkwardly pick a fight and try to ignore any meaningful conversation.”

“Shut up.”

 

“Is that- yep that's the same rock we passed like thirty minutes ago. I know you're supposed to be the expert here, but I'm pretty sure we're walking in circles,” said Pidge as she took off her glasses to clean them. Bright green slime had dripped off the ceiling and fallen straight on her head, tangling into her messy hair and sticking onto her glasses.

“I think you're right. It's been so long since my father and I walked these tunnels. They've changed. So much has.”

“Why don't we try that way? I don't think we've gone down that tunnel yet.”

Allura wrinkled her nose, “I guess that sounds reasonable. It just smells down that way.”

“It smells everywhere down here.”

“But I can tell it’s stronger down that way.”

Pidge just shrugged, “I don't think Keith would have noticed. He could be anywhere.”

“Okay,” Allura nodded, “We’ll try that way.”

 

The sound of popcorn coming from the small apartment kitchen was loud and overpowered the ending credit of episode V.

Hunk was getting snacks ready for episode VI and Pidge was searching for the disc. Lance and Keith were in a heated discussion on the couch.

“I just don't understand what your problem is.”

Keith huffed, exasperated, “It just doesn't make any sense. If Leia is Luke's _twin sister_ and the force is supposed to be incredibly strong in their _family_ then _why the heck can't she use the force?_ ”

“First off, why are you assuming she can't? Don't you remember when she found Luke with it?”

“That hardly counts!”

“I don't see why not!”

Finally the credits cut off as Pidge exchanged discs.

Hunk came in and told them they were out of soda and he was going to run to the store.

“Pidge?” Hunk asked, his eyebrows raised high with intent, “Why don't you come with me? You know, to pick out the ones that you all want.”

“Why don't I just-” then she looked up at him and her eyes shot to the two on the couch and back at him. Keith watched her suspiciously as she continued, “Oh. Yeah, sure. Let's go.”

“Wait, can I come? I want to pick out some-”

“No, Lance. We're good. You two stay here, uh, see you in a bit.”

Pidge gave Keith a pointed look and dragged Hunk out the door.

“What the cheese was that all about?” Lance asked as the door slammed behind them.

“It's Pidge, you never really know.”

Lance huffed and shifted on the couch.

He absently picked up the disc case on the table and turned it over in his hands. Keith leaned back and started chewing on his cheek.

He looked over at Lance then back away. He had read back over their messages from the night before and felt like he was reading them for the first time.

 _Like with fresh eyes, that's what you mean,_ said a voice.

 _Right, yeah,_ he thought back.

Anyway, him and Lance had been talking about Lance's flirting habits. Lance had said something about not really being interested in flirting lately. This had of course surprised Keith and lead him to ask why. All he got in response was some vague comment about not really being interested in anyone else. The “else” had caught his eye and was what lead him and Pidge to analyze it for hours. Sure they had decided it was a semantic error, but it still nagged at Keith as he watched Lance fiddle with the case.

“Do you-”

“Keith, can I say something?”

“Um,” Keith said, surprised, “Sure. Yeah, I mean, nothing’s stopped you before.”

Lance gave him a look but carefully continued. He seemed oddly nervous which really contradicted Lance's usual confidence.

“I don't want this to make things weird so you gotta promise if you don't like what I have to say you'll just forget it.”

“Um, o- okay?” Keith said, a little nervous now as well.

Lance took in a big breath and stared down at his hands, “So, since Hunk met Pidge and we all started hanging out I've really liked it. Like you guys are really great and I'm super glad we're all friends now,” Lance coughed and looked up at Keith.

“Uh,” Keith said awkwardly, “Me too?”

"Yeah, exactly. But then with you. It's different." 

“Um,” Keith said.

“Like honestly, sometimes you just really piss me off.”

“Well, sorry,” Keith said defensively.

“No, wait. Uh, that's not what I should have- what I mean is that sometimes you get me super riled up, you know? Like we get into the stupidest little fights, and it drives me insane.”

Keith knew exactly what he was talking about, but Keith thought that lately-

“But lately, it hasn't so much been the bickering that's drove me crazy, but you.”

Oh.

“Like how your face scrunches up if you get really annoyed. Or how your hair falls in your face sometimes and you have to run your hands through it to get it out of the way. Or your eyes when you're talking about something you're really passionate about.”

_Oh._

“And, uh, maybe you don't really feel what I'm trying to get at but I'm just trying to say that- what I want to ask is if- would you, uh-”

Keith shook his head at the initial realization, but quickly smiled because this was fucking happening. Lance actually felt the same way.

His body acted on instinct and his mind couldn't quite catch up. He leaned across the couch. He grabbed Lance's neck. He smiled at just how quickly Lance stopped talking and put their foreheads together and leaned just enough for their mouths to be a few centimeters apart, enough room for Lance to pull away if this hadn't been what he was talking about, but he didn't pull away. He closed the distance.

Their lips melted together and Keith immediately moaned into it. Lance drew him in and they adjusted their seating never once breaking apart. Warm hands held Keith's face as he tried to tilt their heads together just right. They leaned apart and took careful breathes of the same air before closing the space again. The kiss deepened and their mouths were open and Lance was opening up and Keith dove in.

_This isn't right. Would Lance really taste like this? Would he really want to kiss you? Why doesn't he feel right? This feels too perfect. Lance flirted with Allura, remember? He likes her not you her not you her…_

A violent wave of dizziness hit Keith like a tsunami and he pulled away from Lance with a dramatic intake of breath.

_Allura is Shiro’s girlfriend. Lance doesn't want to flirt with anyone else. He doesn't like anyone else. There is no danger and he likes you._

A voice repeated this careful mantra on repeat as Keith tried to refocus on Lance and the situation after the dizzy fit.

“Keith, are you okay?” Lance asked, placing a concerned hand on Keith's thigh.

“Yeah, just got a little dizzy,” Keith replied.

Lance smirked, “I've been told I tend to have that effect.”

Keith scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“So,” Lance started, “Does this mean- could we go out sometime? Just us?”

Keith smiled and leaned forward to peck Lance's lips again because he could and Lance actually wanted him, “Duh.”

 

“Are we almost there?” Pidge asked as she trudged along after Allura through the twists and turns of the tunnels.

“I don't know. There's no way to really know where Keith ended up.”

Pidge groaned as they turned another corner.

A subtle change drifted through the air and Pidge straightened.

“Do you- do you hear that?” she asked as her face drew in concentration.

“Hear what?” Allura asked, concerned.

Pidge eyes widened and she took off down the new tunnel.

“ _Matt!_ ” she yelled, “Matt, I'm coming just hold on!”

Allura took off after her, “Pidge, no! That's not Matt that's...”

She rounded the corner after Pidge but stopped in her tracks. All around her were the extensive fields of Altea. It was just like everything she remembered of it. The smell. The sound. But the sight was sublime.

She heard a shrill scream from nearby and the vision wavered.

Allura turned around, “Pidge?” and then she blacked out.


	3. Everyone is dreaming but Lance, who is kind of freaking out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope I gave enough thought to Allura and Pidge's dreams without shifting the focus too much :)

Lance paced around the training room anxiously. He still felt like he was going to throw up but now it was for a much different reason.

It had been about a day and they had no contact from Allura, Pidge, or Keith.

Lance had just finished running on the treadmill Pidge had rigged up for him when Shiro came in.

“Thought I would find you here. This isn't your usual place, but...”

“Did you hear anything?”

“Not yet.”

Lance sighed, “Shouldn't we go out to get them.”

Shiro was already shaking his head, “Allura said if we haven't heard from them in three days, seventy-two hours, then we can go after them. But until then we just need to wait it out and believe in them.”

Lance rolled his eyes, “How long has it been?”

“About sixteen.”

Lance started his pacing again.

“So what do we know about this dream drug?”

“What?”

“You said Keith was probably abducted by those parasite people and that he was tripping on some hallucinogenic dream goo, so what do we know about it?”

“First off,” said Shiro, “I did not say Keith was probably abducted. Statistically, he probably was not. Second, I don't actually know much of anything about it at all-”

“Uh, if I may interject,” said Coran as he popped in through the doorway, “I actually know quite a lot about this substance. I studied it in lower school, you know, and wrote my first official dissertation about the resulting psychological effects of users.”

“So what does it do?” Lance interrupted impatiently.

“Well, it emits a chemical vapor into the air that is meant to attract beings to it whatever way possible. It is a hallucinogen and can attack all the senses at once if necessary to draw someone in.”

“Like sirens and stuff?”

“I don't know exactly.”

“They are like these hot chicks that sang to sailors and looked super sexy to get them to come over but once they did, I actually don't know, I think they ate them or something.”

“Oh, well yes. Quite like that. Upon ingestion or injection, it causes a dream state meant to keep the victim satisfied. It is not exactly considered a dream, though, because the mind is highly conscious. The substance provides false stimuli input that makes the dreamer feel, hear, see, taste and smell things that aren't there as vividly as if they were. Since it relies on the victim's willingness to stay dormant, it is known to disorient the victim and use suggestion to convince them of the realness of their experience. If they get suspicious or start wanting to leave, the substance will try anything to keep them in.”

“So it's a choice?”

“In a sense. Breaking out of it isn't much different from blinking away a daydream. Usually the dreamer tries to convince themselves of the reality of the dream because it's highly preferable to the life they lead. So really, the more content with the life they have the easier it is for them to break out of the dream prison.”

“Okay, well Keith being the angsty emo he is, he probably won't be waking himself up, huh? So how do we get him out?”

“Usually, if a person is disturbed in this sleep, especially by a familiar person, they can break out easily, but sometimes it is difficult. Especially if they spent a long time in the dream they may not be willing to let it go. You see, a day in the dream state can feel like weeks. Sometimes, a person may choose to stay in the dream willingly and has to wait for the substance to be flushed from the system to wake up.”

“Sixteen hours, about how long do you think that has been?”

“Probably a week or so, but as I said, you can't really know. Time functions differently inside the mind of the dreamer. The only real issue with waking someone up is their willingness to leave what feels like paradise for the disappointment of reality, even if they are aware they are living a lie.”

“Well, hopefully Keith doesn't hate us that much to stay in the dream even if he knows it's fake.”

“You never can tell. I'm just hoping Allura doesn't somehow get infected. She used to be very resistant, yes, but that was before her father…”

Lance nodded, “And Pidge is pretty discontent too.”

“But I have the utmost faith in the lot of them, don't you.”

Lance nodded and tried to give a convincing smile, “Yeah, sure.”

 

The lips on Keith's were warm and just as soft as he'd always imagined. One hand was cupped around his face and another ran experimentally from his shoulder to his back across his sides and chest. Keith ran his own hands through short cropped hair before resting them on the back of a neck.

He dropped one hand to rest on Lance's knee.

Carefully, Lance broke the kiss and exhaled over Keith's lips. The hand Lance had been trying to find a place for was now resting gently on Keith's hip. Fingers danced along the edge of Keith's shirt as Lance looked at him questioningly.

Between class and study sessions with Pidge, they started making this a routine. They still hadn't gone out anywhere just the two like Lance had suggested, but that didn't mean they hadn't spent any alone time together. They had done this a few times since that movie night, making out on Keith's bed. They never went any further than kissing on the mouth or neck occasionally.

“Could I…” Lance started, but didn't continue.

Keith's swallowed and nodded, moving his arms to help Lance remove his shirt. Keith watched as Lance’s eyes danced over his now bare chest and then placed uncertain hands on his skin. Slowly, Lance leaned down to put a few carefully placed kisses on his collar bone.

His breath hitched as the hands put on the slightest pressure, pushing Keith onto his back. Lance broke away and looked at Keith.

Keith rolled his eyes, “Stop looking so terrified.”

He pulled at Lance and adjusted him to straddle his waist. He wrapped his arms around Lance's neck and pulled him down into a more forceful kiss that easily got Lance moving.

Keith threw back his head as Lance started trailing down Keith's neck to his collarbone and shoulder. Then he left a wet trail down from his chest to his stomach and down. Keith's muscles tensed and his eyes opened to see Lance pausing.

_This isn't real. We can't-_

_It's okay. He wants this. You want this. It's as real as you want it to be._

“No,” Keith said, slightly surprised that he had said it out loud and not at the voice in his head.

Lance crawled back up to lay flat on top of Keith, “That's okay, we don't have to.”

Keith just nodded and wrapped his hands carefully over Lance's back.

Lips pressed reassuringly beneath his jaw before Lance tucked his head in the crook of his neck.

_This isn't real. I can't go that far when it feels this real. I can't take advantage of this Lance like that._

_It's not taking advantage if he's willingly giving_ , said the voice.

_It is to my Lance, the real Lance._

A small tide of dizziness that Keith was now accustomed to ran through him and he shook the thoughts away.

This debate had been a constant since he woke up from that weird dream. Every once in awhile he would get this strange sense that everything he was living wasn't real. Like his thoughts sometimes weren't his own when he remembered times he'd spent with Hunk and Pidge and Lance. It would get him confused and dazed and he strangely started to miss them all even when they were right in the room with him.

But then a careful voice would remind him of how good he had it. He was aceing all his classes, there was no immediate or looming danger, all his friends seemed to seek out time with him, and this thing with Lance was about everything he had imagined he wanted. He felt like he belonged and mattered, even though he wasn't serving any purpose or role. He was comfortable.

But sometimes as he kissed Lance or played a videogame with Pidge he couldn't help but think there was something really important that he wasn't doing.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” asked Lance, who was looking up at him. Keith had been making a focused and confused face as he stared up at the ceiling, running absent hands up and down Lance's back.

He blinked and smiled down softly at Lance, “Nothing. I'm just happy.”

Lance smiled widely and reached up to kiss him on the mouth, lingering close as he whispered back, “Me too.”

 

Pidge's dream was simple. She was back at the garrison, but this time to be a technological developer and she didn't have to pretend to be a boy. She was still friend with Lance, Hunk, Keith, who had never dropped out, and Shiro, a mentor figure. She still had Matt and her dad and mom and she visited them at home frequently. She was excelling in her studies and her future looked bright since she was already being offered internships at all the important developing companies.

But she had the creeping consistent feeling that she was needed for more. That there was a greater purpose that needed her and the itch was omnipresent.

 

Allura’s dream was complex. It was filled with elaborate stimuli combinations and extensive landscapes. She tried as many of the foods and drinks from Altea that she could find and remember. She smelled all the flowers and odors. She touched all the different fabrics she had worn and the fur of animals and skin of plants now lost. She listened to the way the wind blew and people talked. She traveled everywhere she could imagine just to look at the sights one last time. She met with her father, but she knew he wasn't quite the same here. 

The consciousness from the ship had her paranoid about the realness from the get go, but she ignored it in favour of experiencing Altea apart from the interpretation of the ship. She was just wasting time before she would wake herself up, but she kept remembering one last thing to see, smell, taste, touch, hear before she left. More time passed of her consciously procrastinating than she would like to admit.


	4. Lance is worried and other unsurprising news

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I wrote this all at once and can't remember the focus of these chapters so the title is the closest to a summary this is gonna get.

“How many hours now?”

Lance had his head resting on Hunks stomach in the lounging room.

“Still forty-eight, just as much as it was ten minutes ago when you asked. And ten minutes before that. And before that.”

Lance crossed his arms and poked his lower lip out in a pout.

“I don't understand why he didn't put me on the team to get Keith. I was fine when they formed it.”

“Why would they think you would want to?”

“Because-” He started, throwing his hands up, “because- I don't know! Why wouldn't they?!”

“Keith is gonna be fine. You just gotta take a deep breath and pretend you're not freaking out.”

“I'm not freaking out!”

“See, you've already got half of that done.”

Lance huffed, “I'm allowed to be worried about the guy. You heard what Shiro said! They're draining his blood!”

“Could be.”

“Sure we fight and stuff but I don't want anything to actually happen to him.”

“Lance-”

“And we haven't even fought that much lately, it's been more friendly bickering-”

“Flirting,” Hunk coughed.

“What?”

“Nothing,” Hunk smirked, “Continue.”

“I would even probably say we're kind of friends at this point. I just wish I could be on the mission so I would feel like I'm doing something and not just laying here uselessly.”

“I know why you're so upset, dude. But Keith's gonna be okay. You can still tell him.”

“Wait, you know what? Tell him what?”

“I'm your best friend, man. I know when you are crushing on someone. Don't even try to hide it from me.”

Lance sighed and flopped back down on Hunks belly, “Fine. But don't tell anyone, okay? I know he'd never feel the same and I really don't want to mess up our whole team dynamic or whatever. So, could this just be between us?”

“Dude, I'd love to say yes, but Pidge has already complained about your constant flirting.”

Lance groaned.

“Don't stress it, bro. I mean, the way he looks at you- I don't know, but I think you should say something when he gets back.”

Lance nodded, “I just wish I could be there.”

“I know,” he patted Lance's head, “I know.”

Lance tucked his head into Hunk’s belly and groaned again. 

 

“Don't you dare. Don't you fucking dare.”

Keith smirked as he switched his red piece with Pidge’s green one, sending her all the way back to start.

“ _Sorry,_ ” Keith sing-songed through a competitive smirk.

Lance and Hunk glanced between the two before giving each other a concerned look. They were usually very careful with the board games they played, especial after the Monopoly Incident that Pidge declared was never to be spoken of again. But somehow they had started playing Sorry and it was already heading down hill quick.

“Why would you even do that. Lance's piece is closer to your home! You did it just to piss me off!”

“You know I wouldn't do that to my Lance. Especially not after it took him so long to get out of start.”

Lance smiled warmly at him and leaned forward to peck him on the lips and move a coaxing hand up and down his arm.

“That's right. You're just so kind and caring and considerate. What would I do without you?”

“He's manipulating you!” Pidge shouted, “He is using your feelings against you. You would have sent him back without a second thought a week ago!”

“Hmm,” Keith pretended to consider Pidge remark, “Nope, I still would have sent you back. We both know you're much more of a threat than Lance.”

Lance dropped his smile and used the hand on Keith's bicep to deliver a playful slap, “Hey!”

“Sorry, but you only have one piece on the board and Pidge has two in home, we all know you don't stand a chance.”

“Oh really? Pass me the deck, Hunk. It's my turn and my boyfriend here doesn't seem to think I can kick his ass, which, by the way, I most certainly can.”

“Wait. Did you just call me your-”

Lance's eyes widen with realization before returning back to their determined gaze.

“Yeah? You don't have a problem getting beat by your _boyfriend_ , do you?”

“Not if I know it's not really something I need to worry about.”

“Oh, we'll see about that.”

They did see about that because Lance came back and destroyed them all, leaving a highly distraught Pidge and a stunned Keith.

“Don't worry, babe. Maybe you can get me back next time,” Lance smirked triumphantly as he leaned to give Keith a patronizing kiss on the cheek. 

 

Allura and her father stood in one of Altea's many flowering fields and Allura tried desperately to take it all in.

“I miss it all so deeply,” she said to her hands as her father stared at her forlorn face, “I don't ever want to leave, but I have to. I have to stop Zarkon.”

“What for?”

“What?” Allura blinked over surprised at her father.

“Ever since you were a girl you've taken it upon yourself to carry the burden of the whole universe. In all of your years you never truly did anything for yourself. You can't protect everyone, Allura, not forever.”

“I have a responsibility to lead these paladins, don't I? They need me. I can't abandon them now because I miss you. I can't give up on this war because I'm homesick!”

With Allura’s rise in vigor also came a rise of uncertainty. As her voice rose, so did a soft hint of moisture behind her eyes, “I need to do this, father,” her voice broke, “Don't I?”

Her father laid strong hands upon her shoulders, “You could stay here and live out your days in peace among your people at home. You've been fighting for so long, you deserve to be happy.”

Her lip quivered and she collapsed into her father's arms, “I want to be happy. I want to be with you, father,” she sniffled then continued, “But the people of the universe deserve freedom and a chance to be happy as well. I need- I want to be part of that. I'm sorry, but I have to go. I could never truly be happy here knowing that millions would suffer for it.”

“I know, daughter,” He said, cupping her face as he smiled sadly, “I know.”

With that she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening her eyes to a much darker world.

 

Gloved hands held tightly over piloting controls. Keith, clothed in his paladin armor, flew fast through stars and space around him. He had a mission, though he couldn't remember what it was, all he knew was it was important. He dove quick out of formation and performed a few adrenaline-fueled flying maneuvers. He yelled in exhilaration as the stars zoomed past him. The comm in his helmet buzzed and he felt the lion shake.

“Keith.”

Was that Lance's voice? Why did he sound so worried?

“ _Keith.”_

He felt the dream slip away. His hands clenched around nothing and were no longer wrapped in fingerless gloves.

“Keith? Are you okay? Get up.”

Keith blinked back to his familiar room and saw a concerned Lance leaning over him, his hand gripped tight on Keith's shoulder from shaking him awake.

“Oh, fuck, dude,” he said, sighing in relief, “You kicked me and when I woke up you were slashing around and not breathing right. I was pretty sure it was just a nightmare but then you weren't waking up and I was starting to worry you were having a seizure or something. Geez, don't do that.”

“Sorry,” Keith mumbled sleepily and confused.

“You were having the dream again, weren't you?”

Keith just nodded in return.

It had been a couple months and class had ended a week ago. Keith got a job at a bookstore and Lance at a coffee shop. Their free time was spent lazing around Keith and Pidge’s apartment playing games and watching Netflix.

Lance and Keith had gone on a few dates just the two if them. Shiro and Allura had come down from their apartment in New York to see the group and spent a week with them. Unfortunately, it had been the week of final exams, but Keith and Lance had worked in a double date somehow anyway.

Before the semester ended, Lance spent most of his time at Keith's apartment, occasionally staying the night or inviting Keith back to his dorm. Since the semester ended though, Lance had packed up and ended up basically moving in to Keith's room.

This was the fourth night Lance had spent in Keith's bed. They just slept, well, and made out and cuddled but the point was they weren't having sex.

Lance's family lived less than an hour away and he had been planning on living with them over the summer, but he claimed that he felt more comfortable in Keith's bed. They both knew that was a lie. Keith had bought his mattress cheap as fuck while Lance's parents had saved up to get him a top notch memory foam luxury mattress.

The truth was, Lance was worried about Keith and he knew this because the first night Lance spent the night after the semester ended he had slipped up and started talking about his dream, the recurring one where they all lived in some space castle and flew magic lions to fight evil. Lance had laughed and so had he. He knew it was insane, but he also knew how uneasy he felt whenever he thought about it. Since it was Lance, he slipped up even more and told him about that feeling. He also told him about the dizzy spells and the creeping feeling that none of this was real. Ever since then, Lance had only left his side for his shifts at the coffee shop. There hadn't been a moment for Keith to reflect on it anymore, but that didn't mean it all stopped.

Lance rubbed a soothing hand up and down his arm. Keith sighed and put his head in his hands.

“I hate that this is happening to you. I wish you were happy like you seemed before. Is it- do you think it's because of me? If I'm pushing you to fast please tell me if-”

“Lance, it's not you. Trust me, I'm pretty sure you're what's keeping me sane. Whatever’s going on will pass. I'm fine.”

“Keith, you don't seem fine. I know something's going on just let me-”

“Look, I know I sound crazy when I talk about this but the dream… it feels so real.”

Lance brought the hand to Keith's back and began moving in soothing circles.

“This is real, Keith. Me. Here. Now.”

“I know, it just feels wrong sometimes.”

Lance looked so hurt and so worried, Keith couldn't stand the sight anymore.

“Hey,” he tried to smile but he knew Lance could tell it wasn't reaching his eyes, “Let's just go back to sleep, yeah? I'll let you be big spoon.”

Lance smiled but it was really a pathetic attempt and Keith wondered if he looked that unconvincing.

He moved to lay back down but Lance reached out to stop him.

“Wait,” Keith looked back to see Lance swallow nervously, “I just- I think I love you, Keith. And if something's wrong, if you're not feeling right, I really want to make sure we're getting help for you.”

_He can't take that confession from me. I can't let that be fake too. I shouldn't accept that from this Lance._

But Keith saw the hopeful gleam in Lance's eyes and his hand was warm where it still rested on his back and his words of protest were stuck in his throat.

_So what if this isn't real? This is where I want to belong. This world may not be perfect but it's better than the visions in the dreams. Here, nothing is at stake. No one is in danger. I don't need a purpose to be happy._

He placed both hands on Lance's face.

 _Let yourself be happy, Keith,_ the voice whispered. _You can be happy here._

He leaned in and touched their foreheads. Lance let out an unsteady breath that tickled Keith's upper lip.

“I love you too, Lance. God, I love you too.”

Lance smiled and gave Keith a long savoury kiss. Keith's face was suddenly wet and he realized he was crying. He never cried and wasn't sure why it was happening now. Lance pulled away and wiped the moisture from below his eyes.

“Okay, let's go to bed. We have all the time in the world to work this out tomorrow. We’ll work this out, right?”

“Of course,” Keith didn't know why he was suddenly choking on his words, “I'll get over this. I'm happy with you, Lance.”

“I'm happy with you too.”

 

Shiro watched as Lance paced back and forth across the control deck. His eyes were shadowed and his hair uncharacteristically unwashed. He hadn't changed and Shiro could smell him from across the room. He was pretty sure Lance hadn't slept a tick.

“How many hours has it been now? Let's just call it and go now. Keith has been in his dream-thing for weeks or more according to Coran.”

“Sixty-seven hours, but Lance-” Shiro started carefully yet authoritatively. Pidge would be saying he was using his dad voice right now but honestly he didn't care as long as it was getting through to Lance.

“Shiro, I know what Allura said but what if he-”

“Lance, we don't even know if Keith got infected. He could just be lost and-”

“If he had gotten lost he would definitely be back by now! He's not that much of a moron!”

“- _and_ even if he is and has spent that long in there, he's gonna wake back up. He's not going to be stuck in there. He's going to be fine.”

Lance sighed, “What if he loses it? What if he doesn't remember us? What if he's not Keith anymore?”

Shiro smiled sadly at him, “It's going to work out. Don't worry. He's not going to forget you, Lance. Trust me.”

“Please. Just let me go find him. Let me bring him back.”

“Let's just wait and trust Allura for now, okay?”

Lance didn't respond, just plopped down onto the steps leading up to the wormhole controls.

“Five more hours and we go.”

“Yeah, Lance, but have faith. We'll hear from them before then. Why don't you take a nap, have you even slept?”

Lance just looked away and Shiro sighed. Lance obviously wasn't budging so Shiro left him to find Coran and discuss their chances of finding Keith if even Allura couldn't get through those tunnels. He wouldn't let Lance know that he was sure they were pretty small.


	5. In which Keith's world starts to collapse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the home stretch... we're about to break into the real world.

Summer was at its peak and Keith and Lance were walking hand in hand down the boardwalk, ice cream dripping over the fingers that held their cones.

“I don't see how you are still wearing that jacket. It's like eight hundred degrees out here!”

Keith chuckled. He had been doing that a lot lately. Since that night, he didn't let himself think about the weird feelings anymore. He even stopped dreaming all together.

“Beauty is pain, Lance.”

“Oh. My. Fuck. I can't believe you just said that. You sound just like my sister," then Lance stopped in his tracks, "Oh no, I'm dating my sister.”

Keith huffed a laugh, “Shut up.”

“No, listen,” Lance shook his head and looked at him seriously, “You both tease me endlessly. You both spend an excessive amount of time tending to your lusciously long hair. You both carry every conversation with cynical sarcasm. You are both tragically uncultured in meme lore. And you both have the same shitty emo taste in music.”

At the last line Keith removed his hand from their locked hands and poked Lance's side. He cringed away and nearly dropped his ice-cream cone.

“You're just mad because you know it's true.”

Keith just shook his head and threw away the wrapper from his cone and got out a hand wipe to clean off the stickiness. Lance soon did the same and Keith reached to clean Lance's hands for him.

Lance looked around the pier distractedly as the lights on rides and stores started flickering to life as the day shifted to night.

“Ooo, Keith! Let me win you one of those teddy bears!” he tugged on his arm after Keith threw away the wipes, “Please. It'll be real quick, I'm a master at carnival games.”

“Lance, those are rigged. Everyone knows that. There's no way you can win the big prize.”

Lance grabbed his chest in fake agony, “You wound me, Keith. I can't believe you have that little faith in me. I'm gonna do it now, no matter what you say, just to prove you wrong. You'll see.”

Keith shook his head but smiled as he trailed after his overconfident boyfriend.

Lance slammed a dollar down on the counter but the girl running the booth quirked a bored eyebrow and popped her bubblegum, “You got three shots to knock the pins down. Good luck.”

Lance smirked and picked up the baseballs, “Start picking out your bear now, Keith. I got this in the bag.”

Three games later and it turned out Lance definitely did not have this in the bag. Keith was pretty sure Lance didn't even have a bag to begin with.

Lance pulled out another dollar from his pocket, “Set it up again. I'm feeling it this time.”

The girl shook her head, but reset the pins Lance had actually knocked over. Keith tugged at his arm.

“Come on, Lance. This is ridiculous. I want to ride that big swinging ride thing we saw when we came in. I don't want to be stuck here all night.”

“We won't be,” Lance insisted, “I'll get it this time, you'll get a stupid bear, and we can go ride every ride you want.”

Keith huffed and looked around, “If I play this round and win you a bear instead, can we just leave?”

“Oh, you think you could do better than me? Sure, Keith. If you can knock down all those pins your first try then yeah, we can go.”

Keith smirked, “Alright then.”

He took the three balls and quickly threw them one by one at the tower of pins, effectively knocking each one down with ease. The girl behind the counter looked mildly impressed and Keith turned to flash an even deeper smirk at Lance. Lance's jaw hung open and his eyes were fixed firmly on where the pins had been stacked.

“Pick out your bear, babe, and let's go ride that ride.”

“You cheated. I don't know how, but you definitely cheated.”

“That blue one looks like one you'd like, how about that one?”

“I demand a redo.”

“No, Lance, you made me a deal, now come on,” he turned back to the girl running the stand and pointed at the big blue teddy bear on the top shelf, “We'll take that one up there, thanks.”

They got through a few rides before they were both worn out. They started strolling down the wooden walkway, looking in shops and at the different stands. Lance had just finished getting a henna tattoo on his ankle and they were walking aimlessly again, shoulders bumping. Lance was hugging the bear to his chest but wore the most over dramatic pouting face Keith had ever seen. It was… quite endearing, actually.

“Lance, can't you just accept your bear and forget it?”

“No, Keith,” he said, “I can't just forget it. This was supposed to be your bear from me.”

Keith smiled and shook his head, “You can buy me a pair of those sunglasses from the tourist shop back there and we can call it even.”

Lance's pout turned to a scowl, “You better not be talking about the star ones with the words bad ass on the shades because even ironically, those were awful.”

“They weren't that bad,” Keith smiled, “I like them. What about that shirt I pointed out to you? It was a tank top and you were definitely right about wearing this jacket today being a bad idea.”

“I'll get you a tank top for two reasons: one, because it can forever symbolize how I am always right and that you should listen to all my stellar advice and two, because I know how sexy you'd be in a sleeveless shirt with your ripped arms and sweaty skin.”

Keith's face was starting to burn, “Lance-”

Lance smirked at Keith's flustered expression, “but I won't buy you that tank.”

“What! Why?”

“Because I'm not walking around holding hands with a hot guy wearing a shirt that says ‘The space bar’ with drinking Aliens photoshopped on a keyboard.”

“I thought it was clever.”

“Think again. That's just tragic humour that I will not accept.”

Keith rolled his eyes and they turned back toward one of the many gift shops on the dock. After a long search, Lance decided that it wasn't as bad as any of the other options and reluctantly bought it. It was obvious he didn't regret it, though, as he beamed at Keith when he returned from the bathroom from changing into it.

“Damn, babe. You need to wear sleeveless shirts more often.”

“It's perfect, Lance,” he said before leaning up to peck him on the cheek.

“Hey, want to go catch the Ferris wheel before it closes. I just checked and it's almost midnight.”

“Yeah, let's do it. Let me put my stuff in your backpack and let's go.”

They waited in line and just made it onto the last cycle. It was one of the newer and nicer Ferris wheels with light up rails and padded seats. It was huge too. It towered over all the buildings and was at least ten stories high.

They slowly made their way up. Keith's eyes sparkled over the scene as he looked from the lights on the streets to the glimmering of the ocean nearby. He could feel Lance's eyes on him so he turned to smile at him. Lance put his hand on Keith's and took in a deep breath.

“Keith, this was really good tonight. I had a lot of fun and I really don't want this to end. When school starts back up I know we'll both be swamped and it'll be a lot harder to make time if I'm back at my dorm. What I'm just trying to say is-”

Keith swallowed before interrupting, “Would you move in?”

Lance's eyes shot to meet his and Keith was suddenly feeling very claustrophobic in his seat.

“Uh, I mean. I know you're already kind of living with us so I know Pidge wouldn't mind. And you probably just meant to be with us for the summer but we could get your desk and make room somehow, uh, I don't know if we could fit your whole full bed in the room but we could definitely try-”

“Keith, oh my god, stop talking. Is that what I sound like all the time when I'm rambling? How do you put up with me? I was just about to ask if we could maybe move in together. Like just you and me. I know Hunk’s been looking for a roommate and he and Pidge get along so I figured what the heck. It would be a win win for everyone.”

“We're going to move in together,” Keith said, shocked, “Like, legitimately moving in together.”

Lance smiled, “Sounds a little scary but I'm definitely about it.”

Keith nodded, “I think- I think I am too.”

Lance moved a careful hand to cup Keith's face. The moment felt fragile which is probably why when Lance leaned in he paused a breath length away from Keith's lips before whispering, “Can I kiss you?”

Keith laughed a little because he had never really asked like that before but then Keith realized that was because they hadn't really had a moment like this before.

Keith just nodded and Lance closed the space between them. It was nice and chaste, especially for their usual kisses.

Keith pulled back and wrapped a hand around Lance's neck.

“I love you.”

Lance beamed back at him. It was the first time Keith had said it first.

“I love you too. So much. I can't believe you're letting me make you as happy as you make me.”

Keith could feel himself starting to cry again but tried to push it away as he surged forward to capture Lance in a much more passionate kiss.

Keith resolved then that even if this wasn't real, he didn't care. This was the life he wanted. With all of his friends pretty content. With ice-cream and ironic clothing. With an apartment and college classes. With Lance. 

 

Pidge and Matt were sitting on their parents couch watching some crap space documentary over their spring break when it happened.

It started in waves. It felt like a blood rush from standing up too quickly, but then Pidge’s vision was clouded and she could hear Allura’s voice calling her name.

The sound was almost unfamiliar. It had been weeks since she had thought about Allura. She didn't exist here.

Pidge felt guilty as she realized that there had been no room for Allura in her perfect world. She resolved to spend a little more time with her back in the real world.

First, though, she had to wake up.

She opened her eyes to see Matt looking at her concerned. His eyes didn't have their usual shine, rather pleaded with her.

“You are going to leave now, aren't you?”

“I've got to, Matt. You know I can't stay here.”

“But you could be happy here. All your family is together here-”

“But you're not real. It would be selfish of me to stay here and abandon everyone, including you, out there.”

“Who says it's any less real in here?”

“Logic. This is just a hallucination caused by an alien substance attempting to imitate my ideal reality. I should have remembered sooner, but I guess I just needed to hear a familiar voice to shake this out of me.”

“If you stay a little longer it would feel like months here. You can take your time, at least.”

“I have to go save the real you, Matt. You and Dad.”

“I know,” he sighed, defeated, “I get it. I hope you find us out there so we can be happy.”

“Me too.”

She shut her eyes and tried to picture the cave she was going to wake up into. She imagine all of this as the daydream it was.

When she blinked into consciousness it was a lot brighter of a cave than she had remembered. Allura held her head in her lap as she looked around calculatively.

“Do you have any idea how long we've-”

“Shh,” Allura looked down at her surprised before putting fingers to her lips, then she whispered, “A lot longer than I care to admit. I should have woken up sooner, but I-”

Allura cut herself off and dropped her head. Pidge placed her hand on the one that rested in her shoulder. Allura smiled down at her. They didn't need words to understand each other in that moment.

“I think that room over there is where they are holding Keith.”

“Holding Keith?” Pidge finally sat up to take a look around. She found herself and Allura crouched behind a far rock watching as ghost-like beings floated around from tunnel to tunnel like nurses checking on the ill. She looked down at her arm to see it covered in blood which ran from a gaping hole in her arm.

“Uh, Allura,” Pidge started.

“It's okay, I've stopped the bleeding for now. You didn't lose much blood, Keith however. We don't know how long they have been draining him. We need to get to him quick and I'm thinking he is in that room, over there.”

“Why?” Pidge asked. Not doubting, just curious.

“The way they've been gravitating toward that room, bringing in containers of the substance makes me think they have a prisoner in there.”

Pidge nodded, “How do we get in?”

Allura smiled and Pidge knew where this was going. She watched as Allura stood and transformed. Her skin turned from purple to faintly blue and transparent. Her hair began to float and grew at least another foot. Her feet lifted off the ground and she was hovering above the cave floor like the other ghosts.

“Now,” Allura said, “I'll hold your wrists behind your back with my bloody arm to get both those out of the way and you stumble along looking dazed. They may ignore us and think they just found another victim.”

Pidge nodded and they got into position. They walked that way over to what they assumed was Keith's tunnel. Once they stepped inside and saw no ghosts, Pidge took off ahead and Allura tried to drift in a much more hurried pace.

Eventually, they found Allura had been right and they found Keith even paler than usual lying limply on a slab of rock.

Pidge ran over and slapped him gently on the face repeating his name. Nothing happened.

“Allura, can you try? He's not waking up. Did you say something different? Like a trigger word or something.”

Allura wrinkled her brows, “No, usually just the voice of someone familiar can break the entrancement.”

“Keith,” she tried. Keith's nose twitched but other than that there was no response.

“We can't wait for him. I think I hear them coming back. Take out those tubes and let's just carry him.”

Allura nodded strongly and ripped the tube out. Pidge flinched but didn't say anything. Allura flung Keith like a small child over her shoulder and floated down the tunnel deeper as if he weighed nothing.

“Do you know where we're going from here?” Pidge asked feeling rather useless as she walked along as Allura single handedly carried Keith's body like it was nothing.

“I believe so. We should be out of here in no time. Once we get out, connect with Shiro and tell him to get Coran to prepare a healing pod, Keith feels worse than I expected.”

“Okay, will do,” Pidge replied.

She looked over to watch Keith's body flop like a corpse over Allura’s shoulder. She tried to forget the comparison, but dread slowly took her over. He was losing a lot of blood and she knew the med pods couldn't bring back the dead. Pidge had spent the last couple hours living out her deepest desires, but right then, all she wanted was that they could just get him back in time. 

 

Boxes in their apartment were still unpacked but their room was already messy. Lance was draped over Keith on the mattress they put on the bedroom floor, too lazy to set up the frame yet. Keith tried to move Lance off him for the fifth time, but Lance just whined and held on a little tighter.

“No,” he moaned, “Stay a little longer. We can keep unpacking later.”

“Lance, we need to at least do the kitchen or are you not planning on eating dinner?”

“It's called paper plates. Let's just order pizza and drink soda out of the liter.”

“I don't want to drink after you, gross.”

“Oh whatever! You've had your tongue in my mouth.”

“ _Lance._ ”

“And you could again if you stay in bed. Come on, cuddle with me a little longer.”

“Fine, but you order the pizza and unpack the bathroom stuff later.”

Lance smiled victoriously and pulled Keith in and adjusted himself on top of him. He leaned down and pressed a few soft kisses on Keith's mouth and jawline.

“I thought you just said cuddling.”

“Mmm,” Lance replied, “and I thought you said we'd have everything unpacked by now but here we are.”

“And whose fault is that?”

Lance groaned, “You're right. You can get up and unpack the kitchen, sorry for distracting you.”

“Oh no. You're helping. Geez, when did you get so lazy?”

“Whenever you let me kiss you for the first time.”

“We both know I kissed you first.”

“But I confessed first.”

Keith rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to reply but a sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. He clasped his head in his hands. This hadn't happened for a month or so and had been so taken aback he forgot to try to hide it from Lance to not worry him.

Lance's face immediately fell, “Keith?”

But the voice didn't sound like Lance and Keith held his head tighter.

“Keith,” the voice that sounded suspiciously like Pidge said, but he just shook his head and pressed his palms into his eyelids.

Pidge’s voice started slipping away like she was talking to someone else and Keith collapsed on the bed and passed out.

He dreamed of a luminescent cave. Pidge and Shiro’s girlfriend, Allura, leaned over him. Their faces were tainted in concern and they were trying to wake him up. From what, Keith didn't know, but they eventually gave up and Allura threw him over her shoulder.

As he bounced in her arms his dream twisted into a vision of trees. Then it melted into him laying on a medical mattress looking out at a sky of stars. Then he heard voices but the dream started slipping away and Keith was blinking back at Lance on their mattress.

“Lance?”

“Keith? Are you okay? You- you just passed out or something? Have you been having those dizzy fits again? Should we go to the hospital? I don't like this. I think-”

“Lance, stop,” Keith swallowed, “I know this is just a dream. I- I've known for a while, but sometimes I really tried to pretend I didn't know. I know you tried to convince me I deserved it, but that wasn't it. I have been selfish. I just wanted to stay here because I'm tired of out there. But I think I have to go now.”

Lance smiled softly at him, “Okay. If you need to go, fine. But you can stay here until the dream wears off. It won't hurt anything and it'll feel like a week.”

“Lance, I-”

“A week to say goodbye without saying goodbye, you know? You'll wake up when the chemicals get out of your system, until then, why don't you stay with me.”

Keith looked away. He knew he needed to wake up, but once he did everything would be back to how it was. Pidge wouldn't be his closest friend, happily attending engineering school and in close contact with her family. Shiro and Allura wouldn't be happily engaged and without traumatic stress from tragedy. Hunk wouldn't be about to attend his last year of culinary school, comfortable and not constantly throwing up in space. And Lance wouldn't hold him like this ever again.

That was what had Keith the most reluctant to leave. He loved having all his friends comfortable and happy, but what hurt the most was knowing when he woke up, they still could be happy again. Lance, on the other hand, would never reciprocate his feelings. He had always known this, but in this world, he chose to forget that and let himself pretend that Lance would want to touch him like this. Hold him like this. Kiss him like this.

He closed his eyes and leaned onto Lance's shoulder and Lance rubbed a soothing hand up and down his back. Keith shut his eyes because the real Lance would never comfort him like this.

“Okay,” he said, “I'll stay with you until it wears off.”

 

Lance sat on the table across from Keith's healing pod, tapping his foot on the surface. His bottom lip jutted out as he pulled his legs closer to his chest and rest his head on his arms.

Keith looked weird floating in the pod. His eyes were closed and his face was peaceful and didn't show his typical resting bitch face.

Keith hadn't woken up even after everyone tried to shake him and say his name. Lance had been disappointed when he went last and still had no luck. Not that he was expecting Keith to react differently to his voice than everyone else's, but, yeah, that's kind of what he had hoped.

His face scrunched up as he started to wonder again what it was Keith was dreaming about in there. What was possibly so much better than this that he would consciously choose to stay there rather than wake up.

Lance was sure that none of them where there. Keith was probably dreaming about whoever his old family had been before he was orphaned and abandoned to live alone in the desert, but Lance thought that they all had grown pretty close. Didn't he miss them a little?

He huffed as he continued to study Keith's resting features. Everyone else had left and gone back to sleep by now, but Lance couldn't tear himself away. He was just so mad, so frustrated. Were they all really not enough? Lance pulled another face, why couldn't he be enough for Keith?

 

The dream had started to fade. All of the details that had filled his made up world before had started slipping away. The street outside didn't provide any more background noise. He couldn't read words on paper. The only solid thing he could really feel anymore was Lance.

They lay together in their now fully put together bed in the apartment now fully unpacked and Keith couldn't help but mourn the life he would never have here. This Lance loved him and he was in total bliss.

The more hazy the world grew, the more he knew that he needed to leave. He had a mission out there. He had a purpose and billions of people needed him to pilot his lion, but he also needed to be there for his team.

Lance was snoring and Keith studied the face inches from his own. If he looked really hard at this Lance all he would see was perfect brown skin. That made Keith feel a little more at peace with returning because he knew the real Lance had a small birthmark beneath his left eye that this world's Lance only had if he focused really hard on it being there. It reminded him that out there were his real friends waiting for him to wake up.

He smiled at the thought as he closed his eyes and drifted into a sleep within a dream knowing that this was the last moment he'd spend with this Lance. A serene feeling washed over him and he realized he was oddly okay with that. He missed the real Lance; he missed them all. The versions of them that lived in his head were just imitations and he was learning to miss the unpredictability that came with knowing that you can't know a person completely.

In here, his friends always did exactly what he would expect them to, but Keith missed all their small gestures that always surprised him.


	6. Where everybody realizes they were wrong about something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And it's the end! Hope you had as much fun as I did!

It had been one week since Keith had woken up from the healing pod and he was treating everybody normal, if not a little friendlier than normal. Well, everybody but Lance and it was really starting to piss him off.

For instance, Keith started talking to Pidge like they had been friends for years. Lance even walked in on them discussing some racing game Lance had never heard of and realized he hadn't seen Keith talk so enthusiastically about anything. The way his face lit up and he waved his hands around.

Pidge seemed a little confused at first but they fell into a rhythm and soon their conversation drifted to other games and then to movies. Pidge was outraged when she realized Keith was tragically uncultured in most all movies and tv shows. Keith admitted that the only time he'd seen Star Wars was in the dream, which surprised Pidge because him being able to watch movies in the dream was completely illogical which lead her to go into a rant about there being a possible psychological connection between dreamers in the goop.

The eavesdropping Lance was surprised for a whole other reason. That was the first time he heard Keith mention the dream to anyone.

The next time was when they were eating goop and Keith sighed and looked at Hunk and said, “I really miss your cooking. Everything you made in that dream was a million times better than this garbage.”

Coran had responded with disappointed huff and Keith quickly shook his head, “Not that I'm complaining, uh. This is good too.”

Hunk and Lance shared a look and Keith didn't look up from his food again.

He talked to Shiro practically the same but Lance noticed Keith glancing between him and Allura suspiciously when they were all in the room together.

But with Lance, Keith avoided him like the plague. Their usually bickering was replaced by Keith awkwardly shifting away. Lance tried to start up normal conversation after his usual attempts at picking good natured fights proved ineffective, but Keith just nodded and responded with one word answers before finding some excuse to leave the room.

Lance flopped on his bed, brooding over Keith's sudden lack of attention, when he heard a knock on the door.

“There better be galra ships attacking or something because I am so not in the mood for training right now, we've been at it all day and if I get shocked in that maze one more time-”

“Lance,” said Hunk exasperated, “Open the door. I just want to talk.”

Lance sighed but got up to unlock the door anyway before flopping back on his bed with a loud groan.

“Dude, you gotta stop moping around and fix things with Keith. And I mean, none of us know what he dreamed about but obviously you have something to apologize for.”

“What? Apologize for what? I'm not gonna apologize for something Keith's dream version of me did. That's ridiculous!”

Hunk sighed, “Well, yeah that's true. But you at least have to talk to him.”

“But I have, he just-”

“No, Lance. Like really talk to him, about the dream. You guys have to work this out. We've gotta be able to form Voltron and Keith's thing with you is getting in the way.”

“Yeah, I noticed. We all noticed. I-,” he put a hand on his face, “I'll try to talk to him again but it's him that's not cooperating.”

“I know, but he's obviously not gonna say anything.”

Lance just nodded, “Okay, I'm taking a shower and then I'll talk to him so shoo.”

“This might be as good a time as any to talk to him about-"

“Okay, Hunk,” he said jumping up to wave him out of the room and locking it behind him.

 

Keith was in the training room. His months in the dream world (or days as Pidge liked to remind him when he talked about it) had left him out of shape. That and the massive blood loss.

Pidge had become a comfort to Keith. All his life he was pretty reserved. The closest he ever got to someone was Shiro and when he had been taken Keith took back to closing himself off and eventually got himself thrown out of the Garrison. But since the dream where he had been so close and connected with all of them, Keith couldn't handle closing himself off anymore.

Regardless of it actually being days, the dream had felt like months. Months of being close to these people. Months of late night conversations. Months of games and movies. Then he woke up and all of the intimacy in his relationships vanished.

He looked to Pidge because they had at least been kind of close before. He tried to start up conversations like they had in his dream and eventually she got over the weirdness and they started getting closer. He would watch as she reverse engineered galra tech and talk about movies and video games and the science stuff Keith could follow. Eventually, after Pidge asked a few times, he opened up about the dream.

He started with the basics: college and everything in a universe where all this Voltron stuff wasn't a problem. He told her about how Allura was still there but human and Shiro’s girlfriend and Coran had been her weird uncle, and how Hunk and Lance also went to their college and hung out at their apartment.

After a few more talks, he told Pidge about Lance. She was not nearly as surprised as Keith claimed she should have been. She urged him to talk to Lance, which was about what he had expected she'd say, but he couldn't bring himself to even think about it.

This Lance wasn't the dream Lance. In fact, they were all much different than in his head, but the main difference in dream Lance and this Lance was how incredibly and most definitely not in love with Keith he was. Keith could barely look at him without remembering how dream Lance had held him and then chiding himself for letting himself play out those fantasies. They had felt so real and he couldn't help feeling like he had taken advantage of this Lance. He was ashamed.

He wouldn't look at him. He avoided talking to him at all costs.

He punched at the simulator and ducked away from its return attack. He bounced back into ready position.

He knew their dynamic was getting in the way. They tried to form Voltron in training that evening but failed miserably. He couldn't let Lance into his head.

Shiro had stopped to talk to him after and told him he didn't blame him and that he knew he was healing and trying his best. He put a hand on Keith's shoulder and told him that he didn't know what happened between him and Lance, but he had to stop avoiding him because it was getting to Lance and hurting the team.

He swept down and kicked the feet from under the simulator. It fell then shattered into a million digital pieces.

“Start training level two.”

“End training sequence.”

Keith dropped his stance and looked around, annoyed. Then he spotted the voice’s origin, sighed, and turned away.

“Go away, Lance.”

“Dude, come on,” he said, continuing to walk toward him, “We gotta talk.”

Keith could see Lance's hair was wet and was immediately reminded of a moment in the dream when they had gotten caught in the rain and Lance ran his fingers through Keith's wet hair and kissed him on the sidewalk. He shook the memory from his head.

“Let's not.”

“Oh come on, Keith,” Lance whined, “I'm sorry, okay?”

Keith’s eyebrows pulled together, “For what?”

“Uh,” Lance looked around, “For whatever I did in your dream that pissed you off? I don't know!”

“You didn't do anything, Lance.”

“Then what the fuck, man? What's going on with you?”

Keith shifted and looked back to where he was adjusting his gloves.

“You- you're avoiding me and don't try to deny it!” Keith shut his mouth.

“Was I- was I not there?”

Lance had dropped his voice to a whisper and Keith had almost not heard him. He swallowed and looked away again.

Lance huffed, “Wow.”

 

Of course he hadn't been there. Why would he be in Keith's dream of a perfect world, the guy hated him.

Lance had thought they had gotten closer, maybe even friends, but apparently not.

Was a world without him in it really that much better for Keith? Was he avoiding him to try to block him out? Was he really that much of an annoyance?

“Was it really that much better?”

Keith didn't look up.

“Allura woke herself up, you know. And Pidge woke up right when Allura said her name, but you- you didn't even budge. You chose to stay in that dream, Keith! We all know it and no one's had the courage to confront you but I don't give a shit anymore. What was the dream, huh? What was so much better than this that you chose that over us?”

 _Over me_ , Lance thought before shaking it away. Keith would choose anything over him, apparently. In a perfect life he wasn't even there.

Keith's eyes flashed to look back at him and his face was red. It could have been from the training, but Keith was barely breaking a sweat.

“What was your dream, Keith?”

Lance took a step forward and Keith's eyes flashed up at him and then back down. They had looked… hopeful?

“Keith,” he said again as Keith still wouldn't answer or even look at him.

He took another step forward to put them about three feet away.

“What was your dream?”

Keith's licked his lips in thought but them tried to walk past him toward the door, “I've gotta go-”

Lance grabbed his arm, “Keith, why is telling me so bad?”

“It's not bad. You were there, it's just…”

“What?”

“You wouldn't like it,” Keith looked up at Lance through his eyelashes.

Lance swallowed but didn't break eye contact. He bit the inside of his lip and moved it back in forth between his teeth.

After a second of thought, he moved his hand, still on Keith's bicep, down his arm. He held his breath as he touched Keith's hand and laced their fingers together.

 

Keith's eyes locked on the gesture. He had been careful not to touch Lance since the dream. The contact sent a shiver down his spine that he was immediately ashamed of.

 

Lance followed Keith's gaze down to their now joined hands. He held his breath and waited for Keith's reaction. He hadn't planned on doing it and he was probably as surprised as Keith that he had done it.

Keith yanked his hand away like he'd been burned and pushed both his palms into his face.

“Keith,” he said reaching forward, “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-”

Keith removed his hands and looked Lance straight in the eyes. The red tint to his copper irises cut his words short.

“You were my dream, Lance.”

That caught Lance off guard and he couldn't think of anything to say. So it was the opposite of Lance not being there. Keith really dreamed they were… That didn't make any sense. He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

“I mean not just you, but I- we-”

Lance blinked then smirked, “We had a bonding moment?”

Keith blushed, “Quite a few actually.”

Lance quirked an eyebrow.

“No, wait,” Keith said shaking his head, “We never had, um.”

“What? You dreamed you were with all this and we didn't even do the do?”

Keith set his jaw, “If you're going to tease me then I'm just gonna go. We can say I tried to open up so failing to save the universe is officially your fault.”

Keith tried to walk away but Lance pulled him back, “Wait, stop. I'm sorry.”

Keith let Lance drag him back and looked at him and the vulnerable look in his eyes had Lance's smirk falling away.

Lance took a breath, “I would dream of you too, Keith.”

“What?” Keith blinked at him and the look on his face, Lance didn't think he'd ever seen Keith that taken off guard.

“I mean my family and earth would definitely be there too, but so would you. I- I don't know if dream you and this you have the same feelings for me but if you do-”

“We do.”

Lance smiled and looked up from the floor, “ _if you do,_ then I should probably tell you that I feel the same way.”

Keith opened his mouth but didn't say anything. Lance reached the hand that wasn't clasped on Keith's wrist up to cup his cheek. Keith instinctively leaned into it.

Lance leaned in but paused when their noses bumped, “Can I kiss you?”

Keith looked up at Lance before huffing a laugh at the familiar words and nodded, throwing his arms around Lance's neck.

 

Lance did not taste the same as in the dream where he tasted like seawater and sweetness. This Lance, the real Lance, had a distinct Lance taste Keith couldn't really describe other than the faint taste of food goo.

Their lips moved together with no grace. Their noses awkwardly bumped together. They couldn't find that perfect angle. Lance had no idea where to put his hands when Keith let go to bring his other hand into Lance's hair in frustration.

All in all, it wasn't, by a long shot, a perfect kiss but Keith loved it nonetheless because it was real. That fact alone made it better than every kiss they shared in the dream combined. This was his Lance, the real Lance, that was so predictably unpredictable and kissing him back.

Maybe they would never fit together perfectly like in the dream, but two individuals aren't meant to fit perfectly together.

Keith didn't care. This was the real Lance and his real life and he was ready to live it.


End file.
